Page 79 of Discovery of the Vampire
Lizzy stood with her back to the room, ignoring us both as she stared out the window like Esme would come waltzing down the street at any moment. Finished talking with Killian, Alice went to sit stiffly in the chair beside her, her eyes on the area rug at her feet.
Footsteps pounded down the stairs and Dae sauntered in, still wearing his gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt stretched across his muscular chest that read,
I have a dig bick
(Read that wrong, didn't you?)
"What'd I miss?" His smile vanished when he saw our faces.
"Marcus has Esme," I said, my voice hollow.
Dae froze mid-stride. "Fuck."
Alice suddenly stood from her seat, tucking a strand of honey-blonde hair behind her ear. "We need to draw him out. Make him come to us on our terms."
Dae's head snapped toward Alice as his entire body stiffened like he'd just been electrocuted. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again. No sound came out.
I frowned, wondering what the hell had gotten into him. But his reaction was a welcome distraction. I'd never seen him speechless before.
He continued to stare at her while the others filtered into the room, and Killian filled them in on the current situation.
"So, what are we going to do?" I asked loudly once everyone was caught up. "Because I'm having a hell of a problem standing here not doing a damn fucking thing while my mate is out there in danger."
Everyone stopped talking and all eyes shot to me. All except Dae, who cleared his throat and dropped his gaze to the rug when Alice noticed him staring.
"I don't know," Killian said. "Marcus is impossible to find unless he wants to be found. And we already know he can block the witch's tracking spell, so Alice and Lizzy are no help there."
Alice squared her shoulders. "I'll act as bait. He wants me. He wants his family, even as distant as we are. If he thinks he can get to me, he'll come."
"NO," Alex said, gawking at his sister like she'd lost her last brain cell.
"Absolutely NOT." The words burst from Dae's mouth with unexpected force.
With shocked expressions, everyone turned to stare at him. Dae never got worked up about anything—he was our resident carefree spirit. Now he stood rigid, fists clenched at his sides.
"I mean... that's..." Dae cleared his throat again, glancing at Alex who glared at him with fire in his golden eyes, his usual smooth confidence nowhere to be found. "It's too dangerous."
Alice tilted her head, studying him with curiosity. "I can handle myself."
“And you know what he's capable of," Dae pressed, taking a step toward her.
"Yes, I do." Alice's soft voice was laced with hardened steel. "He's my blood. As is Alex. I know exactly what we're dealing with."
Alex ground his teeth together so hard muscles jumped in his jaw at his sister's dig at his magic, which he’d hid from everyone—including her—until he couldn’t anymore.
"That magic saved my life," Kenya reminded her.
"And it can save Esme's," Alice insisted, glaring at her brother.
But Alex shook his head. "I'm nowhere near as strong as he is. My magic was enough to draw out the curse he put on Kenya, but I couldn't stand up to him in a fight."
"Hopefully you won't need to," she said quietly, her eyes softening.
Dae raked his fingers through his hair, looking to Killian for help. "There has to be another way."
"There isn't," Alice said gently. "And every moment we waste arguing, Esme remains in danger."
Dae looked like he might argue further, then abruptly turned away and paced to the other end of the room.
